Peters



n. A. COWELLg YIELDING CAR-PLATFORMS.

193,851. Patented Aug.' 7,18" Z7.

WITNESSES INVENTOR ATTORNEYS PETERS. PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON, D Q

RENSSELAER A. GOWELL, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT lN WELDING CAR-PLATFORMS.

Specification'forming part of Letters Patent N o. 393,52555 a, datedAugust 7, 1877 application filed May 18, 1877. v

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, RENSSELAER A. Cow ELL, ofCleveland, in the county of Onyahoga and jState of Ohio, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Supplemental Yielding Platformsfor Cars; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to railway-car platforms, and is an improvement onthe device for which Letters Patent No. 110,901, dated January 10, 1871,were granted tome; reissue No. 4,846, dated April 2, 1872. It consistsof a supplemental yielding platform, as will be hereinafter fullydescribed and claimed.

In the drawing. Figure 1 represents a horizontal cross-section of mydevice taken on the line zz of Fig. 3. Fig. 2 is a similar view, showingthe supplemental platform in a different position relative to thecross-head, and the springs compressed. Fig. 3 is a verticalcrosssection taken on line w 00, Figs. 1 and 6. Fig. 4 is a similar Viewtaken on line y 3 Figs. 1 and 6. Fig. 5 represents the relative positionof the supplemental platforms and cross-heads of two contiguous carswhile passing a curve. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal side view of thecrosshead, with supplemental platform removed.

The cross-head A or front sill of the platform is secured to the body ofthe car in the same manner as described in the patent above referred to,or in any other suitableand effective way. Said cross-head is recessedfor the purpose of receiving part of the mechanism which operates inconnection with the supplemental yielding platform. The recess is,preferably, made deep, so as to accommodate a spring of considerablelength. I) is a metal bar secured in the bottom of said recess 13, andserves the purpose of a bearingplate. Its employment is not an essentialfeature of my invention, and it may be dispensed with, if desired. 0 isthe bearing-plate, the under or flat side of which rests on the bar orplate b, or on the bottom of the said recess. It is provided with aslot, socket, or other suitable aperture, 0, as shown, in which fits asimilarshaped projection, 01, of the spring-carrying lever or arm D.When the projection of the arm D is inserted in the curved opening 0 thearm D can then swing from side to side, and can be said to be pivoted tothe bearing-plate 0. If desired, an opening, 0, may be made in theprojection 61, and a bolt passed through it and the cross-head tostrengthen and to assist in holding the parts in place; but that is notessential to the successful operation of the device, or the bolt z maypass through the opening a. The projection 01 is curved on the line of acircle to correspond with the aperture c, the former fitting closely,but moving freely in the latter. D is the spring-carrying lever or arm,provided at each end with a projection, d, around which the end of aspring is secured. E E are spiral springs of suitable size, shape, andstrength, fastened in any suitable manner to the arm D, or merely placedover the projections,so as to abut against said arm. To the verticalside 9 of the supplemental platform G are fixed the projections g, bywhich the opposite ends of the springs 1+] are held in position againstthe inside face of said vertical side of the yielding platform. G is thesupplemental yielding platform proper, formed of one or more pieces ofmetal, and shaped so as to embrace the cross-head A, as shown in Figs. 3and 4. The upper and lower sides of this platform, near the inner edge,are provided with slots, '9 to accommodate a bolt, 1', which passesthrough them and the cross-head A. These slots g permit the yieldingplatform to slide 'over the draw-head when pressure is exerted on thesupplemental platform, which pressure compresses thesprings,as shown inFig. 2. When no pressure is exerted against the platform it will extendbeyond the cross-head, as shown sisted than if the arm D were pivoted ona bolt.

When two cars provided with my device are coupled together, the ends ofthe supplemental platforms abut against each other, as shown in Fig. 5.

The advantage of the pivoted arm D is evident when the cars are passingalong a curve. In that case the tendency is to compress the springnearer the inner curve of the track more than the spring nearer theouter curve; but that tendency is immediately overcome by the pivotedarm D, which is caused by the springs always to assume a positionparallel to the vertical side 9 of the yielding platform, so that thesprings are always equally compressed, and consequently the supplementalplatforms always press firmly against each other, whether or not thecars are passing a curve. Without the use of the pivoted arm Done springwould be more compressed than the other when the train is running on acurve., ,It would also have a tendency to twist it out of its position,and the supplemental platforms could not, with the same degree ofcertainty, be kept in contact. It is evident that in place of spiralsprings rubber springs could be employed with the same result. It isalso evident that more than two springs may be employed, placed atsuitable distances apart.

Instead of forming the arm D with a projection, and the plate (3 with arecess, the construction may be the reverse-that is, the arm D may beprovided with a recess, and the plate 0 with a projection.

I do not confine myself to the particular construction of joint hereshown, as any device by which a rocking motion is permitted to the arm Dis within the spirit of my invention.

What I claim isl. The combinatioh, with the spring-controlling armcentrally pivoted to a cross-head, and the supplemental platform of thesprings directly connecting the extremities of the said arm with therespective end portions of the platform, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a spring-controlling arm pivoted within arecessed cross-head, of the supplemental platform directly bearingagainst pressure-springs, the said platform fitting about the cross-headand having its tread-board sliding freely over the same, substantiallyas described.

3. The combination, with the spring-controlling arm, pivoted to across-head and formed with front stud projections, of the supplementalplatform formed with counter projections, and the intermediate springsfitting over the said projections, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with the recessed crosshead A, of a bearing-plate,(J, and spring-controlling arm D, pivoted in said bearing-plate,substantially as andfor the purpose described.

5. The combination, with the recessed crosshead A, of a bearing-plate,O, spring-controlling arm D, springs E, and supplemental yieldingplatform G, the latter provided with slots 9 and secured to thecross-head through the medium of a bolt, substantially as and for thepurpose described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

RENSSELAER A. GOWELL.

Witnesses:

WM. BEHRENS, W. E. DONNELLY.

